Edgewalkers Campaign Thread

"But no sign of our disappeared comrades." Vusgaar comments as he sniffed about the area, half expecting -- if not hoping -- the maze had simply transported the two elsewhere. Leaving Batican to stay alert, the Shifter turned towards searching the bodies of both the unconscious and conscious for anything of note. Any daggers or crossbows especially are given a long look prior to being slotted into his belt.

(@Books: Need another investigation to check the cultist?)

Investigation: 23.

The cultists are wearing leather armor and have daggers made of some sort of dark metal. Vusgaar is unable to find anything else of interest.

With Deme's help, 17: Vusgaar also finds a small holy symbol on each cultist, bearing an unfamiliar symbol.

When the duo finds the holy symbol, Demetrios studies it further to see if he can find out what it's of.

-1 Religion: 17

Demetrios can tell that it's definitely from some sort of dark religion. Certainly one of the necromantic cults that used to be prevalent in Ohr Kaluun before the Inspired liberated the islands, but you aren't sure which one.

Vusgaar studied the daggers intently for a few moments before finally deciding to simply pack away all but one. The last one he straps to his side unless given pause by the others. "As much as it is distasteful. We should awaken one now that they are bound. Sooner than later. For like it or not, they may know more of the inner portion of the maze than we." Vusgaar would solemnly comment while staring daggers at the unconscious forms.

"If there is a way that we can heal one of them without spending too much in terms of resources, we should do that."

Demetrios looks over the holy symbol for a moment longer, trying to see if maybe the name of the cult would come to mind... but ultimately came up with nothing. With a frustrated sigh, he throws the symbol to the ground and gets to tying up the cultists before giving them 1 point of lay on hands to help stir them awake. "Sorry to awaken you from your nap, but we have a few questions for you. We'll keep this civil and maybe we won't finish you off. First, what's your name, what's the cult you belong to, and why are you here?"

Intimidation: 7

Second roll if help applies: 18

The cultist wakes to find Demetrios directly in his face, and gives a yelp of fear. "M-my name is Rhaakis. W-we live here! Searching for the lost treasures of the ancient masters!" He starts to regain some of his composure, his eyes gleaming. "Their power was beyond any other! We seek their knowledge and tools!"

"What ancient masters and what tools?" Demetrios seethes, getting closer to the man to continue milking him for information with intimidation means.

The man quails slightly, but bares his teeth. "The sorcerer-kings of Ohr Kaluun! Before the Inspired came with their false promises and weakness, the necromancers of Ohr Kaluun ruled these islands, and would have ruled forever had they not been weakened from the attack of light-believing fools! They built these mazes to protect their secrets! We are their heirs! We will unlock their power and bring back the ways of the ancients!"

Lore: The Heirs of Ohr Kaluun is a series of cults that are devoted to bringing back the necromantic ways that the rulers of Ohr Kaluun practiced pre-Inspired. They are generally acknowledged as insane and dangerous.

"Our friends" Meiara says, pointing her scimitar at the cultists. "Where are they? What have you done with them?" 

He bares his teeth in a smile. "Sacrifices."

Vusgaar bears his own teeth. Not in anger or happiness, but in the knowing the sight of sharpened canines would normally have upon getting real close to the man. And he does indeed finds room enough to get close, dragging the man close enough to smell meat wafting off Vusgaar's breathe. "We do not need your legs. We do not need your arms. And you will never discover another secret o' heir of Kaluun... You will answer in possible exchange of these things remaining. Or you will become living rations." Vusgaar lets the words sink in a moment. 

"Where are they? How many belong to your sect? And what other abominations lie between us and the destination? Our patience is short... Your life... grows shorter."

The man's eyes go wide as Vusgaar grabs him. "I-the cells! They'd be in the cells! Th-there are seventeen of us! I don't know how many monsters there will be, the high priests are the ones who send them!"

Vusgaar nods slowly, and for a brief moment looks around for any clear signs of the heir's markings on any nearby walls. Or even that of a fairly straight-forward continuation to the corridor. "Directions to the cells. You will tell us them, yes." He says, turning on the cultist with a glare.

The cultist quails. "I don't know! The maze changes all the time, we use the portals!"

For a fraction of a second, Vusgaar's eyes widen with interest prior to settling back into their customary dispassion. "So we have observed already... How do we access or find these 'portals' then? And approximately how long before our friends become your sacrifices?" He asked pointedly.

"I don't know...the high priests just open them for us...please...if you let me go, I bet one would open for me and you could go through!" the cultists says eagerly. "And they'll be sacrificed at the stroke of midnight tomorrow."

He's probably full of shit, but here's an Insight check on the off-chance that he's not lying about the portals: 18